4 key things Trump has done recently

The meeting paved a path for party leaders to back Trump following Trump's past condemnations of the leaders – and their questioning of his ability to lead.

2. Hiring a pollster

He went without a pollster in the primary, but bringing on Tony Fabrizio will help him target messages and decide how to make his travel decisions.

3. Making nice with Fox pundit Megyn Kelly

Trump shared a TV studio with Kelly – not on Fox News but the big Fox network – and he came out looking none the worse for wear and was able to show he doesn't hold grudges.

4. Naming potential Supreme Court picks

If you are looking to unite a fractious party, then proposing a list of judges you would consider naming to fill the vacancy caused by the death of conservative hero Antonin Scalia is a sound strategic play.

Business has boomed in Donald Trump’s financial empire during the time he has run for president, according to an analysis of his federal disclosure forms.

The documents, including a lengthy filing released last week and one from last July, show that revenue has increased by almost $190 million, with gains coming from golf courses to branded merchandise to book royalties.

At his upscale Florida resort Mar-a-Lago, revenue nearly doubled, climbing from about $16 million in 2014 and the first half of 2015 to about $30 million since the start of his campaign, according to the forms.

Sales of his licensed bottled water brand, Trump Ice, are up as well – from $280,000 last year to $413,000 this year, the forms show.

“Crippled America,” his book published in November, made between $1 million and $5 million in royalties, he reported.

The flood of cash highlights one of the most unusual aspects of Trump’s candidacy – the potential that a private businessman can benefit financially from a run for the White House. And it shows how his fortunes have evolved since last year, when his controversial comments about immigration and Muslims threatened to tarnish his business brand even if they boosted his political campaign.

Trump announced the new filing last week, saying he is “proud” that it “is the largest in the history of the FEC.” Government officials declined to confirm Trump’s assertion.

Presidential candidates are required to provide, under oath, an annual financial disclosure listing their business interests.

To gauge the effect of the campaign on Trump’s companies, The Washington Post compared his two disclosure forms, which were released by the Federal Election Commission.

Last year’s form reported that Trump’s holdings brought in revenue of $362 million in 2014 and the first half of 2015.

The form released two weeks ago – which shows revenue spiking to $557 million – covers a shorter period of time but encompasses the life of his presidential campaign, from July 2015 until Monday.

The new disclosure comes amid swirling questions about Trump’s income and net worth. Last week, he reiterated his past claim that he was worth more than $10 billion, although Trump has not provided independent evidence to back up the claim.

His refusal to release his tax returns, which would provide detailed information about his income, has drawn fire from some Republican critics and likely Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.

The disclosure did little to shed light on his actual income.

Though Trump’s campaign issued a statement referring to the form as a tally of his personal “income,” it is actually a list of his companies’ gross revenue – a figure that does not factor in the costs of paying employees and running the companies. In addition, the FEC form does not account for debt interest payments, a potentially significant expenditure for Trump, who lists five loans of over $50 million each.

When asked if Trump believed the campaign had been good for business, campaign spokeswoman Hope Hicks said, “Mr. Trump and the Trump Organization has always owned and operated the most successful and iconic properties.”

Trump said last week he used the added revenue to fund “construction projects at various multimillion-dollar developments,” reduce his debt and fund his campaign.

The revenue jump appeared especially pronounced at Trump’s golf courses.

At Trump National Golf Club in Jupiter, Fla., where in March the mogul used his Super Tuesday victory speech to promote Trump Steaks and other products, revenue jumped from $12million to $18 million, Trump reported.

Trump National Doral, a four-course golf complex near Miami, was again the Trump empire’s largest gross moneymaker, with revenue exploding from $50million to $132 million, according to Trump’s disclosures.

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